The Barbarian Posted February 10, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 5,082 Content Per Day: 0.67 Reputation: 974 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/20/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted February 10, 2021 If anyone is interested in the way consciousness began in living things, this would be a good read: Metazoan: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind https://www.amazon.com/Metazoa-Animal-Life-Birth-Mind/dp/0374207941/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=metazoa&qid=1612994743&sr=8-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdef Posted February 12, 2021 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 8 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,405 Content Per Day: 0.93 Reputation: 135 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/19/2020 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/14/1951 Share Posted February 12, 2021 On 2/9/2021 at 9:23 AM, Regenerated-Adult said: abcdef, you said, " In contrast, the indwelling of the HS for a Christian should make us constantly aware of His presence." There's a rub there, right? I mean, if the HS should make us constantly aware of His presence, and that isn't actually the case, it means Christians are not constantly aware of his presence. Which probably means the HS comes and goes in a person's life. The Holy Spirit is with the Christian whether they are aware of it or not. His gift of the Holy Spirit presence is promised and delivered. How much we are aware of it is really up to God, as He is the one who reveals Himself to the minds of people. I believe that the awareness varies through a persons life. From being a new Christian to a mature Christian. A mature Christian would learn to recognize the movement of the Spirit, like leaves in the wind. On 2/9/2021 at 9:23 AM, Regenerated-Adult said: I find it interesting indeed that Christians go about saying, "the holy spirit lives in me" as if it is a constant experience of God. They perhaps mistakenly FEEL that to be the case, but the reality is probably much different. Sorry, I derailed the thread here but when I saw that comment I felt compelled to reply. People want a "sign" or "proof" that God exists. But the sign was already shown at the resurrection of Jesus, that should be enough. When Jesus appears, then faith and hope will end. But until then there is still faith and hope. 1 Cor 13:13. Until Jesus comes we cannot prove in a material way that the indwelling exists. I believe that a Christian can sense the Spirit, to different degrees at different times. But it will not be in a way that you can "prove" it, even to yourself, because that would end faith. People who look for "signs" to confirm their faith as proof are actually weak in faith, because they need a sign to confirm what they believe. So it really is a matter of faith in the promises of God about the indwelling, rather than an emotion or a human feeling or being consciously aware of a certain spirit. It is God who decides who He wants to dwell in, who He makes aware of His presence to different degrees. We are weak and small, He is so much greater and keeps His promises. Should we rely on feelings/awareness levels, or have great faith in the promises? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Mclees Posted February 13, 2021 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 158 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 1,915 Content Per Day: 0.80 Reputation: 910 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/15/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 (edited) We can grieve the Holy Spirit but amazingly Gods love endures if not forever. Jesus promised he would never leave us or forsake us. We cannot escape Gods all seeing eye. We can still slip and fall to an old sin we thought was forever gone. We may say into ourselves surely I deserve hell, but we have no other place to turn, but come back to God. Satan knows our weakness and waits for his snare. With out God we would be helpless. Gods forgiveness is beyond our comprehension. We only must admit that we are helpless, We should read Psalm 139. there is no place we can fall that God cannot catch us. His arm is not short. He can and will restore us. For us to lay down is death. We have only one choice. Edited February 13, 2021 by Mike Mclees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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